Some say it’s a dying breed, but the 2-stroke has been staying afloat in this decade-long tidal surge of modern thumpers. Yamaha still makes the YZ250, but it hasn’t had any real R&D thrown at it in some time. Only the European companies are still developing their smoking race bikes, and none other more diligently than KTM motorcycles. The Orange company just sent out a little feel-good statement from CEO Stefan Pierer which promises that the Austrian 2-stroke will not only survive in these tough times, but continue to advance.

Pierer lists cost-effectiveness, youth participation and increasingly specific niche racing such as extreme enduros as some of the main reasons why KTM is still dedicated to producing high quality dirt bikes of all varieties.

Stefan said:

“It was always clear to us that the two-stroke engine would play an important role, also in the future. For example with regards to the next generation of offroad riders – and here we are speaking about a very influential target group of consumers for whom the two-stroke is unbeatable in terms of efficiency and costs. For this reason we have never hesitated in continuing to further develop this technology – the potential for which is by far not exhausted…

“At KTM the two-stroke will continue to remain an integral part of the future model planning. We have already recognised new topics and initiated the development of even more powerful, quieter and above all less polluting two-stroke sports models within the framework of a specific project grouping.”